Boyd scores two, assists one for Rapid Wien to help opening victory.

By Robert Wagman (in Washington, D.C.)SoccerTimes

(Monday, July 23, 2012) -- German-American striker Terrence Boyd opened the Austrian Bundesliga season in style. In his official debut for SK Rapid Wien, he recorded two goals and an assist in a 4-0 victory over Wacker Innsbruck Saturday.

Just four minutes in, Boyd came running up the middle, closely marked, and slid into a low cross from the left side, steering the ball into the net for a 1-0 lead.

He assisted on Rapid's third goal, stealing the ball in midfield and slipping it to midfielder Christopher Drazan, who pushed it into an open net.

Boyd closed the scoring in the 71st minute, taking the pass in front of the goal and calmly beating goalkeeper Szabolcs Sazar.

Five days earlier, Boyd scored on a sensational bicycle kick, but Rapid fell 2-1 to visiting Roma of Italy in an exhibition. United States midfielder Michael Bradley Made his first appearance for Roma.

Nigel Pearson, manager of England's Leicester City, is on the verge of making defender Zak Whitbread his fifth summer signing, BBC Radio Leicester reported. Leicester is in the second-tier League Championship. Whitbread recently concluded two-and one-half years with Norwich City of the Premier League.

A former Liverpool trainee, Whitbread is understood to be in advanced talks with the Foxes after passing a medical. He played 21 games for the Canaries last season, all of them starts.

In the Denmark Superliga, American striker Charlie Davies saw his first action for his new club, Randers, coming off the bench and playing the final 20 minutes in a 1-0 triumph over Odense.

American midfielder Conor O'Brien went 90 minutes and received a yellow card for SønderjyskE in its 1-1 draw with FC Copenhagen.

American defender Clarence Goodson also went the distance and received a yellow card for Brøndby IF in a 2-1 loss to Aalborg BK.

American defender Michael Parkhurst is still out with a toe injury and not available to FC Nordsjælland, a 3-1 loser to FC Midtjylland.

In neighboring Norway's Eliteserien, American midfielder Josh Gatt came on as a substitute and scored a goal before coming off with an injury, playing about 21 minutes for Molde in a 2-1 loss to Viking.

American defender Sean Cunningham played 90 minutes for Stabæk IF in a 3-1 loss to Vålerenga on Sunday.

U.S. midfielder Ricardo Clark is no longer on loan to Stabæk and is looking for a new club.

American Steve Clark was in goal and recorded a clean sheet for Honefoss BK in its 2-0 win over Fredrikstad.

U.S. midfielder Sacha Kljestan played the final five minutes for Anderlecht in its 3-2 triumph over Lokeren in the Belgium Super Cup final.

Play in the Mexican Primera División resumed and U.S. forward Herculez Gomez picked up where he left off in May, scoring a goal in a 90-minute performance for Santos Laguna in its 2-1 decision Saturday over San Luis.

American midfielder DaMarcus Beasley started and played 22 minutes for Puebla before coming off with an ankle injury Friday in a 2-0 loss to Club Tijuana.

U.S. defender Edgar Castillo played 62 minutes and midfielder Joe Corona 56 minutes for Tijuana. American Greg Garza replaced Castillo for the final 28 minutes.

U.S. midfielder Jose Torres played 79 minutes for Pachuca in a 0-0 draw with Atlante on Sunday.

American midfielder Sonny Guadarrama did not dress for Atlante.

American defender-midfielder Michael Orozco played 90 minutes for San Luis in its 2-1 setback to Santos Laguna.

American defender Jonathan Bornstein played the final five minutes for Tigres UANL in a 4-0 whitewash of Jagaures de Chiapas.